All articles tagged with #food imports
France is tightening import checks on certain food products to address farmers' concerns over unfair competition from Mercosur countries, banning products containing substances illegal in the EU and emphasizing strict standards to protect local agriculture and food safety.
New border controls on some of Britain’s food imports from the EU have come into force, increasing red tape for businesses and threatening to drive up prices for consumers. The checks will cost British businesses about £330 million annually and increase food inflation by about 0.2 percentage points over three years, with warnings of a greater impact on inflation. Industry experts are concerned about potential disruptions to supplies and price hikes for staples, as well as the impact on food security and product availability.
The UK government has delayed health and safety checks on food imports from the European Union for the fifth time in three years, highlighting the ongoing struggles and consequences of Brexit. The delays aim to avoid pushing up food prices and disrupting vital supplies, but they also add costs and friction to supply chains. Brexit has already contributed to high inflation in the UK, with a recent study attributing a third of food price inflation since 2019 to Brexit. Concerns persist that border checks on EU food imports could choke off supplies, and industry groups urge the government to provide certainty for businesses. The UK economy, already fragile due to the pandemic, faces the challenges of high inflation and rising interest rates.
The European Union has lifted restrictions on food imports from the Fukushima area in Japan, just as Japan prepares to release contaminated nuclear water into the sea. This decision has raised concerns among South Koreans, who worry about the potential impact of the Fukushima wastewater release.
Japan has urged Hong Kong not to impose stricter restrictions on food imports from Japan due to its plan to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant. In a meeting with Hong Kong officials, Japan explained its water release plan and assured the safety of Japanese food. Hong Kong had previously threatened to ban seafood products from multiple Japanese prefectures if the water release goes ahead.
China has extended its ban on certain Japanese food imports due to Japan's plan to release water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. China's customs administration will also implement radiation tests on food from other parts of Japan. South Korea is maintaining a similar ban, while the UN's nuclear watchdog and Japan's nuclear regulator have approved the proposed release, stating it would have a negligible impact on the environment. The storage space for the accumulated water at the Fukushima plant is running out, but the plan has faced criticism from China, which accused Japan of treating the ocean as its "private sewer."
Hungary has called for "progressive" aid from the EU to help move Ukraine's grain through central European countries whose farmers are having to compete with its cheaper imports. The European Commission said on Wednesday it would take emergency "preventive measures" for wheat, maize, sunflower seeds and rapeseed after some central European countries took unilateral steps to ban imports of food products from Ukraine.
Slovakia has become the third EU country to ban food imports from Ukraine, following Poland and Hungary, due to a glut of grain in their countries causing economic hardship for farmers. The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, objects to unilateral or uncoordinated measures and is seeking a solution that respects the EU legal framework. Five EU countries that neighbor Ukraine have asked the EU to treat the matter of Ukrainian food with urgency. Ukraine and Russia are both major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other affordable food products that developing nations depend on.
Poland has temporarily banned the import of grain and other food items from Ukraine to address the rising anger of Polish farmers who are losing money due to a glut of Ukrainian grain on the market. The ban will last until June 30 and includes sugar, eggs, meat, milk, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. The situation is the result of Russia's war against Ukraine, and farmers in neighbouring countries have also complained about Ukrainian grain flooding their countries and causing prices to fall. The move comes ahead of an election later this year and is a headache for the governing conservative Prawo i Sprawiedliwość party as it seeks a third term.
Poland has temporarily banned grain and other food imports from Ukraine until June 30 to address the concerns of Polish farmers who are losing money due to a glut of Ukrainian grain on the market. The ban also includes sugar, eggs, meat, milk, fruits, and vegetables. The situation is a result of Russia's war against Ukraine, which caused the EU to lift duties on Ukrainian grain to facilitate its transport to Africa and the Middle East. Some unions and opposition politicians accuse government-linked companies of causing the problem by buying up cheap, low-quality Ukrainian grain and selling it as high-quality Polish produce.